KINGSTON, N.Y. - Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum and the president of the Police Chiefs Association of Ulster County have written to Gov. Andrew Cuomo asking him to bring the Assembly back to Albany as soon as possible to take up the county sales tax extension issue.

If it is not addressed by the end of the year, the county stands to lose $5 million in sales tax revenue.

Van Blarcum told the governor in a letter that the loss in revenue "may have consequences strongly affecting the operation of the Ulster County Sheriff's Office in general and the Road Patrol specifically." He told Cuomo that while the issue is local, "the resolution is not."

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Association president Frank Petrone, chief of police in the town of Shawangunk, in a separate letter, told the governor that local police organizations rely on the services of the sheriff's office. "It is imperative to the wellbeing of Ulster County to not have this budget snafu negatively impact the coordinated efforts of all Ulster County police agencies including the assigned members of the New York State Police," Petrone wrote.

At issue is the extension of state authorization that allows Ulster County to levy a 4 percent sales tax, one percent more than allowed as a matter of home rule under state law.

Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, D-Kingston, insisted the county first codify a county takeover of the local funding of the state's Safety Net welfare program. The county Legislature ultimately approved it, but the state Assembly had gone home for the year by then. If the Assembly does not return before the end of the year and approve the sales tax extension, the county stands to lose $5 million in revenue.